High hopes in space

Russia and the US have finally sketched out a plan that will merge their space station programmes. The result would be a massive international venture, leading eventually to a space station called Alpha made from components from both nations. Assembly of the space station is scheduled to begin in mid-1997.

According to the plan, which was made public last week, Canada, Japan and the European Community - America's partners in the ill-fated programme to build the space station Freedom - would become partners in the Alpha project, on an equal footing with Russia.

After meeting to discuss the plan, the heads of the space agencies said they 'recognised the potential benefits to be gained' but stressed that it would have to be approved by their governments. 'There is an urgency that we're all aware of,' says Louis Fortier of the Canadian Space Agency. 'We all want to get on with ...

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